February 14 - Florence Henderson (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 14th are here: Renée Fleming (2020), Aida Overton Walker (2021), Francesco Cavalli; Alexander Dargomyzhsky (2022), Francesco Cavalli; Fernando Sor (2023), Michael Costa; Irving Gordon (2024), and Víkingur Ólafsson; Fred Scott (2025)

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Florence Henderson (14 February 1934 – 24 November 2016) was an American singer and actress. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Voices, Other Rooms

She debuted on Broadway in the musical Wish You Were Here in 1952, and later starred on Broadway in the long-running 1954 musical, Fanny (888 performances) in which she originated the title role. – Wikipedia

The Brady Bunch defined her career,

So some forget, or very near,

Her talents in another sphere;

Neglecting how she, year by year,

Would go to Broadway and appear,

With Playbills as a souvenir.

I'd never criticize or jeer

At Carol Brady, and won't smear

A sitcom mom whose so sincere;

Nor never would I want to sneer

At TV shows that some revere.

I only want to make it clear

Why Florence Henderson is here,

Where music is the subject we're

Commit strictly to adhere

To when we give a birthday cheer.

 

 

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February 13 - Ignaz Friedman (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 13th are here: Eileen Farrell (2020), Dale Wood (2021), Feodor Chaliapin (2022), Leopold Godowsky (2023), Eileen Farrell (2024), and Tennessee Ernie Ford (2025)

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Ignaz Friedman (13 February 1882 – 26 January 1948) was a Polish pianist and composer, widely regarded as one of the greatest pianists of the early twentieth century.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then and Now: Two Variations on a Theme of Friedman

Like many pianists of his era with outsize personalities, [Friedman's] interpretations stemmed from putting his own feelings about a particular work before those of the composer. – Jeremy Nicholas, at gramophone.co.uk

Then 

In piano recitals of yore

A pianist's respect for the score

Was considered less vital

Than to play the recital

As no one had played it before.

 

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Now

When the Urtext is seen as essential,

And the stance toward the score reverential,

To change it ad lib

Seems distressingly glib,

And damningly undeferential.

 

 

If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.  [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Takes: Great Art Repurposed.] 

 

 

February 12 - Josef Reicha; Thomas Campion (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 12th are here: Thomas Campion (2020), (2021), Thomas Campion; Julian Scriabin (2022), Thomas Campion; Roy Harris (2023), Thomas Campion (2024), and Jan Ladislav Dussek (2025)

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Josef Reicha (12 February 1752 – 5 March 1795) was a Czech cellist, composer, and conductor. He was the uncle of composer and music theorist Anton Reicha.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best in Class

In 1785 Josef Reicha was made director of the orchestra in Bonn. The members included the young Beethoven, who played viola and organ. – adapted from Wkipedia 

Music scholar Ludwig Schiedermair in 'Der junge Beethoven' gave specific examples taken from Reicha's partitas and symphonies and said that these works influenced Beethoven. – Wikipedia

Was Reicha dyspeptic and cross

As Beethoven's musical boss,

Or did the man know

That young Ludwig would grow

To make gold from his musical dross?

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪   

Thomas Campion (12 February 1567 – 1 March 1620) was a composer, poet, and physician.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sing Ye

If thou should'st on an amorous eve prepare

To serenade with song thy ladye faire,

Then list to my advice, thou doughty champion,

And sing the daintye songs of Thomas Campion.

 

February 11 - Adele aud der Ohe (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 11th are here: Jerome Lowenthal (2020), Otis Clay (2021), Johann Jacob Bach (2022), Sérgio Mendes (2023), George Winston (2024), and Friedrich Nicolaus Bruhns; Giovanni Pacini (2025)

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Adele aus der Ohe (11 February 1861 – 8 December 1937) was a German concert pianist and composer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not THAT Adele

Aus der Ohe was one of the few child prodigies accepted as a pupil by Franz Liszt; she began studying with him at the age of 12 and stayed with him for seven years . – Wikipedia

Although you're unlikely to know a

   Musician of great-grandma's time,

The pianist Adele aus der Ohe

   Deserves a commemorative rhyme.

In her youth she had studied with Liszt,

   Who heard with experienced prescience

A talent who shouldn't be missed,

   In spite of her preadolescence.

 

 

 

If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.  [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Takes: Great Art Repurposed.] 

 

February 10 - Richard Storrs Willis (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 10th are here: Leontyne Price (2020), Robert Flack; Leontyne Price (2021), Larry Adler; Jimmy Durante (2022). Leontyne Price (2023), Leontyne Price; Roberta Flack (2024), and Johann Peter Pixis (2025)

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Richard Storrs Willis (10 February 1819 –10 May 1900) was an American composer, mainly of  hymns, remembered for the Christmas hymn "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear." He was also a music critic and journal editor. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That Glorious Song of Old

"It came upon a midnight clear"

Is rarely heard this time of year,

But even though it's not December,

Take a moment to remember,

And join together, you and yours,

And sing for Willis, (Richard Storrs).

If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.  [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Takes: Great Art Repurposed.]